The present invention relates to a device for cleaning the interior of wind instruments with a cleaning body that comprises a convexly outwardly curved part having at its forward end an elongate part for pulling the cleaning body through the interior of the instrument.
There is a great need to clean the interior of wind instruments. During the course of time different materials are deposited in the interior of the instrument that may consolidate to a solid coating. This coating not only results in a slow deterioration of the instrument but also in a disadvantageous effect on the sound properties of the instrument so that the quality of the wind instrument slowly deteriorates. Accordingly, woodwind instruments and flutes as well as recorders must be cleaned internally after each use in order to prevent fissures within the wood and damage to the keys.
The cleaning device for the interior of woodwind instruments of the aforementioned kind is known from German Offenlegungsschrift 37 15 490. The cleaning device is comprised of a pulling part in the form of a flexible cord. At one end of this cord a cleaning element in the form of a spherical piece of foamed rubber, foamed plastic or foamed latex is provided. The other end of the flexible cord is provided with a threading device that is also spherical. With such a cleaning device relatively good cleaning effects are to be obtained; however, for some wind instruments the coating especially at critical locations cannot be removed in an optimal manner.
From German Gebrauchsmuster 92 14 532 a cleaning device for flutes is known. The cleaning device is comprised of a rod that at one end has a round head plate. With this cleaning device only flutes or similar instruments can be cleaned.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device for wind instruments of the aforementioned kind with which an improved cleaning effect is attainable in a simple and effective manner.